Entodontopsis panamensis (E.B.Bartram) W.R.Buck & Ireland

  • Authority

    Ireland, Robert R. & Buck, William R. 1994. Stereophyllaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 65: 1-49. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Stereophyllaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Entodontopsis panamensis (E.B.Bartram) W.R.Buck & Ireland

  • Type

    Type. Panama, Canal Zone, between Madden Dam and Saddle 11 near Alahuela, Dodge et al. 16518 (holotype, FH; isotype, PM A).

  • Synonyms

    Stereophyllum panamense E.B.Bartram, Stereophyllum dicksonii D.H.Norris

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants yellowish to brownish green, in loose or dense, glossy mats. Stems somewhat subjula-ceous, to 3 cm long, 3-4 mm wide, simple or irregularly and sparingly branched; axillary hairs with a single short brown basal cell and 4 elongate hyaline apical cells. Leaves lax, close or rarely distant, erect- spreading, often homomal-lous when dry, 1.2-2.0 mm long, 0.4-0.9 mm wide, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, concave, abruptly acute to acuminate; margins plane or sometimes narrowly recurved to near leaf apex, entire; costa extending 1/2-3/4 the leaf length; cells smooth, median cells 70-117 µm long, 6-9 pm wide; alar cells quadrate to short-rectangular, sometimes oblate, 14-24 pm long, 16-21 µm wide. Autoicous. Setae yellowish to brown, 0.7-1.4 cm long; capsules erect to inclined, 1.0-1.7 mm long, cylindrical to ovoid, not contracted below mouth when dry. Opercula obliquely short rostrate, 0.5-0.7 mm long. Spores 19-24 µm in diameter.

  • Discussion

    Entodontopsis panamensis is known by its often brownish green plants with dense, abruptly acute to acuminate leaves that are often homomallous when dry. The species is very similar to E. leucostega. See the discussion of that species for differences.

    A specimen (Lützelburg 4202) identified by T. Herzog as Stenophyllum cataractarum Herzog from Brazil, described in 1925 (see Nomina Dubia et Excludenda under Stenophyllum), is similar to Entodontopsis panamensis. However, we have not been able to find the type of S. cataractarum in Herzog’s herbarium at Jena or in any other herbarium to confirm its similarity with E. panamensis. When the type is found and if it indeed proves to be conspecific with E. panamensis, a new combination will be necessary in order to use the older specific epithet cataractarum.

  • Distribution

    Rare; Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Trinidad and Brazil (Fig. 13). On rotten wood and shaded rock, at elevations of 50-670 m.

    Mexico North America| Nayarit Mexico North America| Panama Central America| Coclé Panamá Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| Venezuela South America| Carabobo Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America|